PAD. Epidemiology and pathophysiology.

The real prevalence of Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) is considerably underestimated if only symptomatic patients (i.e those with Intermittent Claudication) are taken into account instead of subjects with instrumental abnormalities such as a low Ankle-Branchial Index (ABI). The risk of both-fatal and non-fatal-cardiovascular events is particularly high in these patients either presenting with symptoms or asymptomatic. On the contrary the tendency to local worsening (need of revascularization or amputation of leg) is reduced. PAD is markedly prevailing in elderly, with a peak of incidence after the fifth decade of life. Owing to this, the prevalence is not significantly different in men compared to women. The risk factors related to PAD are the same as those observed in the other locations of atherosclerosis but cigarette smoking and diabetes seem to be more often associated to PAD than the remaining factors.